Portable shelter



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- 1,498,312 G. WHITEHEAD PORTABLE SHELTER Filed Feb. 20, 1922 2 sheets sheet l /N l/EN TOE GUY WHITEHEAD- Wfi;

A TTOPNEYJ June 17, 1924.

1,498,312 G. WHITEHEAD PORTABLE SHELTER Filed Feb. 20 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOP.

Patented June 17, 1924.

UNET-Efi STATES GUY WHITEH-EAD, OF SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA.

PORTABLE SHELTER.

Application filed February 20, 1922. Serial No. 537,745.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUYWVI-IILEI-IEAD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sacramento, county of Sacramento and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Portable Shelters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to portable shelters, and particularly pertains to combined tents and beds.

It is the principal object of the invention to provide a combined tent and bed which may be collapsed and folded when not in use, or when in transit, so, as to occupy but a minimum of space.

The present invention contemplates the use of .foldable vertical and horizontal frame members over which a fabric tent covering maybe disposed. The frame members have a bed frame connected thereto and adapted to fold therewith so that the entire structure may be readily assembled orv collapsed and thereafter be folded into a compact bundle for transportation or storage.

One form which the invention may assume is exemplified in thefollowing description and illustrated by way of, example in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective View of the assembled device.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the framework with the tent covering removed.

Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of the connection between the top and end frame bars and the corner post at the front of the structure.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary View in perspective illustrating the center connection of the end rail.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary View in perspective of the connection between the end and rear frame bars and the corner post at the rear of the structure.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view in perspective illustrating the hinge connection between the side bed rails and the corner posts.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary View showing the joint by which various of the longitudinal members are connected.

Referring particularly to the drawings, Fig. 1 illustrates a tent comprising a fabric covering 10 and a bed or cot 11 which are supported by a frame structure such as disclosed in Fig. 2. This frame comprises front and rear corner posts 13. andjlifl, which are connected when the structure is assembled by longitudinal frame. bars 14 and 15 and. end bars 16. The bars 14; and

.15 are formed in two sections, the,. contiguous ends of which are connected at 17 by a .connection such as. shown in -Fig. 7. This connection consists of a pin 18 secured in the end of one section and adapted to en gage a recess 19 formed inthe end of the other section. These sections arealso provided with a hinge joint 20 which permits them to be folded. The ends of the sections adjacent the corner posts arehingedly connected thereto, as at 21, so that they .may be folded parallel to the posts. when thestructure is collapsed.

The sections ofbar 15 are pivotally. connected to the rear corner'posts 13. .This connection is clearly illustrated inFig. 5 and permits the bar 15 to be folded against the corner posts. The transverse or end bars 16 are hingedly connected at 23 to the rear corner posts and extend to and detacln ably connect the tops of the corner posts as at 2a.

For properly bracing the structure, braces 22 and 25 are provided. Thebraces 22-are pivotally connected to the end. bars 16 and extend to and detachably connect the front corner posts 13 at 22. The braces 25 are positioned at the rear of the structure and extend diagonally from a point adjacent the lower end of the cornerqposts to. the bar 15. It should be stated thatthese braces-are pivotally connected to the posts and bar and are hinged at their centers 26 so that they may be properly folded when desired.

As before stated, the structure is seconstructed as to form both a tent and a bed frame. This is accomplished by the provision of members 27 and 28. The members 27 form side bedrails and members 28 form end bed rails. The side bed rails are connected to the corner posts by a hinge 29. This connection is clearly set forth in Fig. 6, and permits the rail to be either positioned parallel to the corner posts (as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6) or entirely disconnected therefrom. The latter is accomplished by removing the split hinge pin 30 and thereby disconnecting the hinge.

lVhen the structure is assembled the end rails may be reinforced by the cables which are drawn taut and secured to the corner posts. The end rails 28 are pivotally connected at their ends to the posts 13 and are also hinged at their centers in a manner similar to the braces 25. This permits them to be folded when the structure is collapsed. The hinge connection mentioned is shown in Fig. 4 and consists of a pivotal connection 31 and a stop member 32 Which permits the rail to fold in one direction only. A sleeve 33 is loosely mounted on the rail and may be positioned over the hinge to further reinforce the same and aid it to maintain its extended position.

In operation of the present invention it Will be assumed that all the various parts are in their knocked-down condition. To set up the structure, it is first necessary to unfold the end rails 28 and this positions the corner posts in one direction. The longitudinal bars may then be unfolded and connected to support all the posts in their correct relative positions. The end bars 16 may then be positioned and the brace 22 extended. The next step is to extend the side bed rails and connect them With the corner posts, it being understood that in the collapsing and folding of the structure the end rails are disconnected from the posts at one end only, Which permits them to be folded into a position parallel with the other posts.

A suitable tent covering may be arranged over the structure and a bed covering attached to the bed frame. The latter covering may connect to the frame in any suitable manner which permits it to be readily applied or removed.

From the foregoing it is obvious that the structure here disclosed, While exceedingly simple in operation and inexpensive as regards manufacturing costs, provides desirable sleeping and sheltering facilities While I have shown the preferred form of my invention, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in the combination and arrangement of parts by those skilled in the art Without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention,

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1.

1. A portable shelter frame comprising pairs of foldable corner posts, an upper longitudinal frame member connecting the posts of each pair at the top thereof, said longitudinal members being formed in tWo separable sections, each hingedly connected at one end to one corner post, upper trans verse frame members, each being hingedly connected at one end adjacent the top of a corner post and extending to and detachably connected to the top of the adjacent post, lower longitudinal frame members connected to the posts of each pair by a folding hinge connection, lower transverse frame members pivotally connected to the posts, said transverse members being centrally pivoted to permit them to be folded, and braces foldable relative to the frame members for bracing one upper longitudinal and both upper transverse bars relative to the corner posts.

2. A portable shelter comprising pairs of foldable corner posts, an upper longitudinal frame member connecting the upper ends of the posts of each pair, said upper frame members being formed in two sections de tachably connected, each section being foldable and hingedly connected to one corner post, upper transverse frame members connecting the pairs of posts, said members being hingedly connected at one end to one post and extending to and detachably connected to the adjacent post, brace bars pivotally connected to the transverse bars and extending to and detachably connected to one of the adjacent corner posts, foldable brace bars pivotally connectedto one of the upper longitudinal members and to the adj acent posts, lower longitudinal bed frame members connected at each end to the )osts of each pair by a folding hinge, foldable lower transverse bed frame members pivotally connected at their ends to adjacent posts of each pair, a tent covering for the structure, a bed covering for the bed frame adapted to be detach-ably secured thereto.

GUY TVHITEHEAD. 

